Spiral stitch sewing machine



April 2, 1957 J. MEDYNSKI SPIRAL STITCH SEWING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Dec. 8. 1954 INVENTOR. MEDYNSKI Ai'fflflbi) April 2, 1957 J. MEDYN SKI 2,787,229

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SPIRAL STITCH SEWING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 8, 1954 7 Sheds-Sheet '7 INVENTOR. JOSEPH MEDYNSKI United States Patent SPIRAL STITCH SEWING MACHINE Joseph Medynski, Ramsey, N. J.

Continuation of application Serial No. 473,934, December 8, 1954. This application June 22, 1955, Serial No. 517,257 a 8 Claims. (Cl. 112-2 This invention relates to sewing machines and, more particularly, to a method and means for producing a spiral stitch on a work-piece. This is a continuation of my pending patent application, filed on December 8, 1954, Serial Number 473,934, now abandoned.

A principal object of the invention is to provide. apparatus for producing a spiraling seam or line of stitches on cup-shaped brassiere elements or other shaped forms of work.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus preferably but not necessarily in the form of an attachment that may be conveniently applied to existing sewing machines and to cooperate with the conventional stitching mechanism to cause the resulting seam to be formed in a spiral with one or more spaced convolutions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for producing a spiral seam that is capable of convenient adjustment so that the spacing of the convolutions of the spiral may be altered to suit the nature of the work.

Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for producing a spiral stitch on a work-piece which is positive in action and highly eflicient in operation.

Broadly the invention comprises a movable work guide that carries a center on and about which a preformed brassiere cup or similar work-piece is revolvably fixed, and a transmission train between the main drive of the machine and the movable work center. The transmission train includes a cam and lever system.

The parts are so constructed and. arranged that the stitching is done on the inside of the brassiere cup, that is, the cup is placed on the work-guide center and held at its polar axis by a rotatable head with annular arranged projections a short distance laterally offset from the needle of the machine. One side of the cup is caused to underlie the presser foot and the portions of the cup immediately ahead and behind the presser foot curve upwardly, away from the plane of the table. The presser foot thus engages the inside of the cup and the feeder jaw, the outside of the cup. The generally spherical contour of the cup makes, accordingly, a localized engagement with the feeder teeth yet an engagement adequate to feed the material. As the stitching progresses, the cup, being transfixed by the circle of projections at its polar axis, is free to revolve and does revolve about that axis. Simultaneously, the cam and lever system is caused to operate slowly and through the means to be described, effects a shifting of the polar axis of the work laterally in time-d relation with the stitching and in proportion to the ever changing size of the spiral to be formed.

For further comprehension of theinvention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a plurality, of

ice

sewing machines embodying the present invention arranged for simultaneous operation by a single operator.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a sewing machine with the present invention applied thereto, showing the mechanism in position for starting stitching on a work-piece.

Fig. 3 is a similar view but showing the position of the mechanism at an advanced stage of stitching.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the improved spiral stitch guiding mechanism, showing the parts at the start of the stitching operation.

Fig. 5 is a similar View but showing the parts at the end of the stitching operation.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line 66 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line 8--8 of Fig. 6. a

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional View taken substantially on the plane of the line 10-1l of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged top plan view of the work-piece showing the position of the parts of the mechanism at the start of the stitching operation, parts being shown in section.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line i2-12 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 13 is a similar view taken substantially on the plane of the line 1313 and showing in dot-dash lines the workpiece and parts at an advanced stage of the stitching operation.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the work-piece holder and guide.

Fig. 15 is a detail plan view showing a modified rack and gear arrangement.

Fig. 16 is a detail plan View of the rocker lever.

Referring to the "drawings in detail, the invention disclosed has been illustrated in Fig. 2 in the form of an attachment capable of ready application to a conventional sewing machine whereby the latter, without serious alteration or delay may be quickly converted to machine for spiral stitching of hollow work. The invention is supported in a housing or casing 23 mounted in the bed of the sewing machine 21 and insertable through a rectangular-shaped opening 22 in the table top 23. The housing is rectangular in shape with side walls 24 and end walls 25 and has a central depending extension 26. Flanges 27 ion the end walls 25 support the housing on the top surface of the table top at the ends of the opening 22. The housing is provided with a removable cover plate 28 and a guide plate 29 fastened to the table top by screws 30 and 31 passing through openings in the plates 28 and 29, respectively, and through aligned openings in the flanges 27. The upper surfaces: of the plates 28 and 29 lie substantially in the plane of the upper surface of the bed plate 32.

The sewing machine 21 is of conventional design having the usual presser foot and feed jaws 33 and needle 34. However, in place of the usual work centering plate, a work centering plate having a flat portion 35 and an upwardly curved portion 36 terminating in a loop 37 is secured to the table top 23 by a fastening element 33 extending through aligned openings in the loop portion.

This invention proposes an efficient means for actuating and controlling the rate of lateral movement of the work piece such as a brassiere cup 39 relative to the rate of forward feed whereby it becomes possible automatically to form a spiraling seam on the work piece. In ac: cordance with the invention, a movable, adjustable and telescopic leader or guide 40 is supported at a slight angle to the vertical above the work piece 39 in position to engage the center of the work piece and press it against the plate portion 35. The leader comprises a tubular member 41 having a counterbored recess 42 in its lower end, and integrally formed with a right-angular bracket 43 having a split bearing sleeve 44 at its outer end. A sleeve is slidably mounted in the tubular member and is formed with a split inner threaded end 46. A shaft 47 extends through the sleeve and tubular member 41 and is clamped to the sleeve by a nut 48 over the threaded end 46. A spherical member 49 is mounted on the inner end of shaft 47 and a spherical member 50 is fixed on its outer end and serves as a handle. A collar 51 on the shaft 46 outwardly of the tubular member limits inward movement of the shaft. A cup-shaped head 52 having an arcuate-shaped hollow body is loosely mounted on the spherical member 49. The are of the body projects over 180 so that a swivel connection is provided between the spherical member 49 and the head 52, and the head is held on the spherical member. The bottom of the head 52 has a flat surface 53 and extending outwardly of said surface are a plurality of spaced pins 54 in circular formation. By reason of this construction, the head 52 is adapted to rotate on the spherical member 49.

The leader 40 is pivotally supported on one end of a curved bracket arm 55 by means of its split sleeve 44 which is adjustably clamped on said end by a screw 56. The leader is adapted to be moved in an arcuate path by said bracket arm 55 by mechanism in the housing which includes a carriage 57 slidable along spaced rods 58 disposed along the side walls 24 of the housing and anchored in the end walls thereof, the rods 58 serving as tracks.

The carriage 57 consists of a plate 59 with a flat surface 60 and formed at its ends with arms 61 and 62 extending at right angles thereto. The outer ends of the arms 61 and 62 are connected by a bar 63. The arm 61 is formed with an extension 64 projecting outwardly of said bar. Perforated bearing lugs 65 depend from the ends of the plate, and a slotted bearing lug 66 depends from the extension 64- on arm 61, the slot therein opening laterally. The track rods 58 extend through said perforated and slotted lugs to permit the plate to ride thereon. The plate is formed with a depending flange 67 between the lugs 65, and parallel to the bar 63. Along one edge of the plate 59 intermediate its'ends there is an enlarged portion 68 having a central tubular portion 69 extending below the plate. A pair of spaced posts 70 and 71 extend upwardly from the enlarged portion 68 on both sides of the upper end of the tubular portion 69. A rack bar 72 is fastened to the inner surface of flange 67.

The mechanism for moving the carriage 57 is operatively connected to the motor driven pulley 73 of the sewing machine 21 by means of a belt 74 fixed on the end of a driven shaft 75. Shaft 75 is connected to an aligned shaft 76 by a clutch coupling 77. Shaft 76 extends through an opening 78 in an end wall of the extension 26 to the interior of said extension.

A casting in the form of a frame 79 having side walls 80 and top and bottom walls 81 and 82, respectively, is mounted in the extension 26 and extends upwardly into the interior of the housing 20. The frame is formed with perforated ears 83 and 84 extending from the side walls by which it is fastened to the bottom wall 85 of the housing by means of bolts 86. Inside the extension 26, shaft 76 extends across the frame and is journalled in perforated lugs 87 formed on the side walls 80 of the frame and extending in the same plane as the side walls. A worm 88 is fastened on the inner end of the shaft 76. A plate 89 extends across the frame and is fastened to the perforated lugs 87 on the end walls of the frame by screws 90. Adjacent one end wall of the frame, the plate 89 is enlarged to form a bearing 91 which is disposed in alignment; with a bearing 92 formed on the opposite edge of the same end wall. A shaft 93 is journalled in said bearings 91 and 92 and is disposed below and transversely of the shaft 76 carrying the worm 88. A worm gear 94 is fixed on one end of shaft 93 and meshes with said worm 88. A worm 95 is fixed on shaft 93 intermediate its ends.

A shaft is journalled in opposed perforated bearings 101 and 102 in the top and bottom walls 1 and 82, respectively, of the frame, and fixed on the bottom end of the shaft 100 there is a worm gear 103 meshing with the worm 95 on shaft 93, whereby said shaft 100 is driven at a reduced speed.

A clutch plate 104 is slidably but nonrotatably fixed on shaft 100 by means of a pin 105 extending through the shaft and through elongated slots 106 formed in a collar 107 on the hub portion 108 of the clutch plate. The slots open outwardly of the edge of the collar. The collar 107 is spaced from the clutch plate leaving an annular groove 109 therebetween. A gear assembly in cluding a gear 110, integral hub portion 111 and integral clutch plate 112 is loosely mounted on the shaft 100 above but adjacent to the clutch plate 104. A thin wearing plate 113 is interposed between the faces of the clutch plates and is held against rotation by spaced pins 114 on the clutch plate 104 extending through openings adjacent the periphery of said wearing plate 113. The clutch plates are normally held in abutting and driving relation by 'a compression spring 115 sleeved around shaft 100, seated at one end on a collar 116 fixed to the shaft and impinging against the collar 107 of clutch plate 104 at the other end so that the drive from shaft 100 is transmitted to the gear 110 and said gear rotates with the shaft. Gear 110' is in mesh with the rack bar 72 on the carriage plate 59 whereby upon rotation of the shaft 100 the carriage 57 will be driven along the tracks 58.

A cam plate 117 is superposed on the carriage plate 59 and on the arms 61 and 62 of the carriage and is pivotally, slidably and adjustably secured thereto by a headed bolt 118 extending through a slot 119 opening into one side edge thereof. The other side 120 of the cam plate is curved. A screw 121 extending through an elongated slightly arcuate shaped slot 122 parallel to the straight end 123 of the cam plate is adapted to hold the cam plate in adjusted moved position. The curved end 120 of the cam plate is formed with an upwardly extending flange 124 along its curved edge and with a similarly extending curved flange 125 spaced inwardly from flange 124 thereby forming a groove or cam-track 126 therebetween.

A bell cranklever device 127 is pivotally supported by a pivot pin 128 extending outwardly from an enlargement 129 formed on one of the end walls of the housing 20 adjacent one of the corners of said housing. The bell crank lever includes a hub portion 130 with lever arm 131 on the lower end of said hub portion disposed inside the housing and extending substantially parallel to the adjacent side wall. Lever arm 131 carries a cam follower roller 132 on its outer end which is normally en gaged in the cam track 126. Another lever arm 133 is mounted on the upper end of the hub portion and is disposed outwardly of the housing and at right angles to the lever arm 131. A split sleeve bearing 134 is formed on the free end of the lever arm 133 and the other end of bracket arm 55 is clamped in said sleeve hearing by a screw 135.

As above explained, the ratchet gear 110 is normally in driving connection with the shaft through the clutch plates 104 and 112 but said gear 110 is arranged to be released from said drive shaft at the end of the stitching operation by mechanism for breaking the connection bctween the clutch plates 104 and 112. This releasing mechanism includes a plate-like lever 136 rcckably mounted on a shaft 137 supported in perforated lugs 138 formed on the edges of the side walls 80 of the frame 79 above the perforatedlugs'83'and' 84. One end of the lever 136 is loosely sleeved around said shaft 137 as indicated at 141 (Fig. 7). The lever is formed with a central elongated slot 141, the :ide edge walls of said slot being engaged in the annular groove 109 of the hub 108 of clutch plate 104. The other end of the lever plate 136 is curved upwardly terminating in a flared end 142 having a flat upper surface 143.

A lever arm 144 carries a knob 145 at one end and at its other end is pivotally connected to the carriage plate 9 by means of a pivot pin 146 extending through an opening in the upwardly extending post 7% and through spaced perforated ears 147 formed on the extremity of said lever arm. The post extends upwardly above the housing through an elongated slot 148 formed in the guide plate 29. The lever arm is also connected to the carriage plate by means of a pin 149 extended through spaced perforated ears 150 formed on the lever arm spaced inwardly of perforated ears 147 and through an elongated slot 151 in the other upwardly extending post 71. An elongated cotter pin 152 holds pins 146 and M9 against displacement.

A plunger pin 153 is carried by the lever arm 144 and depends therefrom in the space between the ears 1147 and 15ft. Pin 153 extends through the tubular portion 69 on the edge of the carriage plate 557 and carries a roller 154 on its protruding bottom end. The roller 154 is in alignment with the fiat upper surface 143 of the rocker lever 136 but is normally urged away from said lever by a compression spring 2155 sleeved through the plunger pin 153 and having one end seated on said tubular portion 69 and its other end impinging against the lever 14 3. Upon manually pressing downwardly on the lever M4, the plunger pin 153 will be pressed against the flat surface 143 on the end of the rocker lever 135 against the action of spring 155. Rocker lever 136 in turn will move the clutch plate 164 away from engagement with the clutch plate 112 on the hub of ratchet gear 119 thereby breaking the connection between said clutch plates and thereby releasing said ratchet gear from the drive forming part of the transmission for automatically operating the mechanism. While the ratchet gear 110 is thus released, manual pressure on the lever arm M4 longitudinally of the lever arm will freely slide the carriage plate 59 and retract the cam plate 117 and associated actuating parts to normal position. The elongated slot 148 in the guide plate 29 permits this longitudinal movement. When downward pressure on the lever arm 1% is released, the clutch plates 104 and 112; are automatically restored to driving engagement by the spring 115 on the shaft 1%, ready for another cycle of operations.

The extension 26 on the housing 2% serves as a sump 156 for oil for lubricating the meshing Works and gears and to prevent the oil in said sump from splashing into the interior of the housing 25) a splash guard in the form of a plate 157 covers the top of the sump, one end of the plate being clamped between one of the bolts 86 and the car 84 on the frame 79 to hold it in place.

The sewing machine and spiral stitching attachment of the present invention are electrically driven and means for automatically turning off the power at the end of the stitching operation is provided. This means includes an angle bar 158 having one end adjustably clamped to the lever arm 133 supporting the bracket arm 55 by a set screw 159. A switch 160 is supported on the housing 213 and is connected in circuit with the motor of the sewing machine 21. This switch includes a movable switch member 161 which projects upwardly in the path of movement of the bar 158 so that said movable switch member is adapted to be moved, opening the circuit and stopping the motor of the sewing machine.

When the sewing machine 21 is driven, the transmis sion for effecting movement of the carriage 57 of the present invention is driven in synchronism with the trans mission that drives the stitch forming mechanism of the sewing machine, and due to the speed reduction afforded 6 by the worms 88 and and worrngears 94 and 103, it will be seen that the rotary movement imparted to the ratchet gear for each stitch cycle is very small, and this small movement transmitted through the system of cam levers to the leader 4% effects an almost imperceptible lateral movement of the work-piece 39. However, the lateral shift of the work-piece and the spacing of the convolutions in the spiral may be changed to suit conditions by changing the position of the cam plate 117 by swinging said plate about its pivot point 118 after first loosening the screw 121. i

In stitching cup-shaped brassiere elements or the like with the present invention, the spiral seam may be commenced with the first few stitches by positioning the roller 132 on the lever 131 so that it engages the beginning of the cam track 126 on the cam plate 117. As soon as the stitching starts, therefore, the lever roller 132 begins to actuate the lever 131 about its axis 128. This movement is transmitted to the lever 133, bracket arm 55, leader 40, head 52, and the work-piece 39 shifts laterally along the upwardly curved portion 36 of plate 35 thereby permitting portions of the cup-shaped work-piece to one side of the feed jaws to curve upwardly, away from the plane of the table top 23. The generally spherical contour of the cupshaped work-piece makes, accordingly, a. localized engagement with the feed jaws.

In conventional sewing machines, the feed jaws feed the cup-shaped work-piece, such as a brassiere element or the iike, in one direction so that the work-piece is rotated either clockwise or counterclockwise. For machines rotating such a work-piece in one direction, for example clockwise, when using the present invention, the carriage 57 is arranged so that its rack bar 72 is positioned on one side of the housing 20, for instance, on the left-hand side thereof, as shown in Fig. 4, for coaction withthe ratchet gear 11d, and the cam plate 117 and associated parts are arranged to suitably coact therewith. On the other hand, for machines which rotate such work-piece in the opposite direction, i. e. counterclockwise, the carriage 57 is arranged so that its rack bar '72 is positioned on the opposite side of the housing 20, or on the right-hand side, as shown in Fig. 15.

To operate the attachment, the operator will swing the leader 40 by means of the bracket arm 55 over the workpiece 39 to its axial center and by pressing the shaft 47 of said leader inwardly cause the head 52 to grip the work-piece at its center, the swivel connection between the shaft 47 and head 52 permitting rotation of the head with the work-piece. The parts are now ready for the stitching operation which is commenced by manually closing the switch through the motor of the sewing machine. The feed jaws will rotate the work-piece and simultaneously the leader 4t! will move the work-piece laterally. The operator merely needs to manually start the operation and the switch device 158 will automatically stop the operation so that a single operator sitting in front of a semicircular shaped table 162 may operate a number of sewing machines 21, such as shown in Fig. 1.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent 1s:

1. In combination with a sewing machine having stitchforrning means including a needle, a presser foot and feed means adapted normally to feed the work in a forward direction, means for imparting a feed movement to the work in a direction transverse the direction of forward feed comprising a laterally moving work-engaging device, said device including a tubular member, a shaft supported 7 in said tubular member, and a head rotatably mounted onone end of said shaft, said head having spaced projections adapted to engage the work and press said work against its support, a transmission for actuating said workengaging device including a rotatable shaft, means for driving said latter shaft at reduced speed in synchronism with the operation of the stitch-forming means of the machine including a drive shaft, a driven shaft connected to said drive shaft, means of connection between said driven shaft and said first-named shaft including reduction gearing interposed between said driven shaft and said first-named shaft, and means of operative connection between said first-named shaft and said work-engaging device including a carriage operatively connected to said first-named shaft, a cam carried by said carriage, and a bell crank lever having one arm connected to said cam and its other arm connected to the work-engaging device.

2. In combination with a sewing machine having stitchforming means including a needle, a presser foot and feed means adapted normally to feed the work in a forward direction, means for imparting a feed movement to the work in a direction transverse the direction of forward feed comprising a laterally moving work-engaging device, said device including a tubular member, a shaft supported in said tubular member, and a head rotatably mounted on one end of said shaft, said head having spaced projections adapted to engage the work and press said work against its support, a transmission for actuating said workengaging device including a rotatable shaft, means for driving said latter shaft at reduced speed in synchronism with the operation of the stitch-forming means of the machine including a drive shaft, a driven shaft connected to said drive shaft, means of connection between said driven shaft and said first-named shaft including reduction gearing interposed between said driven shaft and said first-named shaft, and means of connection between said first-named shaft and said work-engaging device including a carriage, a rack carried by said carriage, a gear on said first-named shaft in mesh with said rack, a cam carried by said carriage, a pivoted bell crank lever having one arm actuated by said earn, a bracket arm having one end connected to the other arm of said bell crank lever and means of connection between the other end of said bracket arm and the tubular member of the workengaging device' 3. In combination with a sewing machine having stitchforming means including a needle, a presser foot and feed means adapted normally to feed the work in a forward direction, means for imparting a feed movement to the work in a direction transverse the direction of forward feed comprising a laterally moving work-engaging device, a transmission for actuating said work-engaging device including a rotatable shaft, means for driving said shaft in synchronism with the operation of the stitch-forming means of the machine including a drive shaft, a driven shaft connected to said driveshaft, means of connection between said driven shaft and said first-named shaft, means of connection between said first-named shaft and said Work-engaging device including a clutch plate slidably mounted on said first-named shaft, a gear loosely mounted on said first-named shaft and having a hub portion, and a clutch plate integral with said hub portion and normally in clutching engagement with the clutch plate on the first-named shaft, a carriage, a rack carried by the carriage in mesh with the gear on said first-named shaft, a cam and lever system interposed between said carriage and said work-engaging device, and means for moving said sliding clutch plate away from the other clutch plate whereby the carriage may be manually moved independently of the first-named shaft.

4. in combination with a sewing machine having stitchforming means including a needle, a presser foot and feed means adapt-ed normally to feed the work in a forward direction, means for imparting a feed movement to the work'in a direction transverse the direction of forward 8 feed comprising a laterally moving work-engaging device, a transmission for actuating said work-engaging device including a rotatable shaft, means for driving said shaft in synchronism with the operation of the stitchforming means of the machine including a drive shaft, a driven shaft connected to said drive shaft, means of connection between said drive shaft and said first-named shaft, means of connection between said first-named shaft and said work-engaging device including a clutch plate slidably mounted on said first-named shaft, a gear loosely mounted on said first-named shaft and having a hub portion, and a clutch plate integral with said hub portion and normally in clutching engagement with the clutch plate on the first-named shaft, a carriage, a rack carried by the carriage in mesh with the gear on said first-named shaft, a cam and lever system interposed between said carriage and said work-engaging device, and means for moving said sliding clutch plate away from the other clutch plate whereby the carriage may be manually moved independently of the first-named shaft, said latter means including a rocker lever operatively connected to the sliding clutch and a manually operable lever operatively connected to said rocker lever for moving the latter.

5. In combination with a sewing machine having stitchforming means including a needle, 21 presser foot and feed means adapted normally to feed the work in a forward direction, means for imparting a feed movement to the work in a direction transverse the direction of forward feed comprising a laterally moving work-engaging device, a transmission for actuating said work-engaging device including a rotatable shaft, means for driving said shaft in synchronism with the operation of the stitchforming means of the machine including a drive shaft, a driven shaft connected to said drive shaft, means of connection between said driven shaft and said first-named shaft, means of connection between said first-named shaft and said work-engaging device including a clutch plate slidably mounted on said first-named shaft, a gear loosely mounted on said first-named shaft and having a hub portion, and a clutch plate integral with said hub portion and normally in clutching engagement with the clutch plate on the first-named shaft, a carriage, a rack carried by the carriage in mesh with the gear on said first-named shaft, a cam and lever system interposed between said carriage and said work-engaging device, and means for moving said sliding clutch plate away from the other clutch plate whereby the carriage may be manually moved independently of the first-named shaft, said latter means including a rocker lever operatively connected to the sliding clutch and a manually operable lever operatively connected to said rocker lever for moving the latter, said latter connection including a spring pressed plunger pin carried by said manually operable lever adapted to be pressed into engagement with said rocker lever.

6. In combination with a sewing machine having a worksupporting plate and stitch-forming means including a needle, 21 presser foot and feed means adapted normally to feed the work in a forward direction, means for imparting a feed movement to the work in a direction transverse the direction of forward feed comprising a laterally moving work-engaging device, said device including a tubular member, a shaft slidably supported in said tubular member and a head rotatably mounted on one end of said shaft, said head having spaced projections adapted to engage the work and press said work against its support, a transmission for actuating said work-engaging device including a rotatable shaft, means for driving said latter shaft at reduced speed in synchronism with the operation of the stitch-forming means of the machine including a drive shaft, a driven shaft connected to said drive shaft, means of connection between said driven shaft and said first-named shaft including reduction gearing interposed between said driven shaft and said first-named shaft, means of operative connection between said firstnamed shaft and said Work-engaging device including a carriage, a rack carried by said carriage, a gear on said first-named shaft in mesh with said rack, a cam carried by said carriage, a pivoted bell crank lever having one arm actuated by said cam, a bracket arm having one end connected to the other arm of said bell crank lever, and means of connection between the other end of said bracket arm and the tubular member of the work-engaging device, said work-supporting plate having a curved end portion coacting with said work-engaging device to guide the work in a curved path away from the plane of the Worksupporting plate.

7. A spiral seam producing mechanism for a sewing machine having a worktable, stitch-forming means including a needle, a presser foot and feed means operative to feed the work in a forward direction, means for im parting a feed movement to the work in a direction transverse the direction of forward feed comprising a housing adapted to be fastened to said worktable, a hollow extension on the bottom of said housing serving as a sump for lubricating oil, a laterally movable Work-engaging device mounted above the worktable and offset from the axis of the needle of the machine, a feed transmission for shifting said device in a direction transverse the path of forward feed including a rotatable shaft vertically disposed in the housing, means for driving said shaft at reduced speed in synchronism with the operation of the stitch-forming means of the machine including a drive shaft, a driven shaft connected to said drive shaft and extending into the extension of said housing, means of connection between said driven shaft and said first-named shaft including reduction gearing in the extension interposed between said driven shaft and said first-named shaft, means of operative connection between said firstnamed shaft and said work-engaging device including a cam and lever system, and a closure plate for covering said sump.

8. A spiral seam producing mechanism for a sewing machine having a Worktable, electrically actuated stitchforming means supported on said table including a needle,

a presser foot and feed means operative to feed the work in a forward direction, means for imparting a feed movement to the work in a direction transverse the direction of forward feed comprising a housing fastened to said worktable, a laterally movable Work-engaging device mounted above the worktable and offset from the axis of the needle of the machine, a feed transmission for shifting said device in a direction transverse the path of forward feed including a rotatable shaft vertically disposed in the housing, means for driving said shaft at reduced speed in synchronism with the operation of the stitch-forming means of the machine including a drive shaft, a driven shaft connected to said drive shaft, means of connection between said driven shaft and said first-named shaft including reduction gearing interposed between said driven shaft and said first-named shaft, means of operative connection between said first-named shaft and said work engaging device including a carriage, a rack carried by said carriage, a gear on said first-named shaft in mesh with said rack, a cam carried by said carriage, a pivoted bell crank lever having one arm actuated by said cam, a bracket arm having one end connected to the other arm of said bell crank lever, means of connection between the other end of said bracket arm and the tubular member of the work-engaging device, an electric switch mounted on the housing and having a movable contact protruding above the housing, and a bar adjustably carried by the bell crank lever arm actuated by the cam, said bar being adapted to engage said movable contact at the end of the stitching operation for opening the circuit through. said switch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,470,932 Perras Oct. 16, 1923 2,488,095 Myers Nov. 15, 1949 2,674,963 Guide Apr. 13, 1954 2,674,964 Guide Apr. 13, 1954 2,730,055 Desperak et a1. Jan. 10, 1956 2,737,133 Desperak Mar. 6, 1956 

